Pokemon Scarlet & Violet Stories

A Work of Art Ch. 3

"No, no, no! That's wrong!"

Heather flinched at the photographer's harshness. Garbed in a frilly pink dress, her hair was styled in a lovely braid hanging over her shoulder. Her lips were a shimmering pink with very subtle eye makeup. All of it was directed by Tulip, who stood on the sidelines with a slight frown. The scenery was beautiful with flowers everywhere. The bench Heather sat on was covered in ornate plant designs matching the environment.

"Again, Heather. Remember, the idea is that you're a young woman who's just seen the man of your dreams. Now, you are longing for him. He's consuming your every thought. Capture that expression."

That was the problem. Heather had never given the concept much thought. She didn't know how it felt exactly. Brassius was the only one she ever dated, and even then, they hadn't been together long enough for her to feel that strongly...right? And in her line of work, she'd never had the time to even think of romance. Her job was to show off clothing, makeup, or accessories - she was to capture their best sides, so to speak. But this assignment required her to express something she had no experience with. The model did her best to stare dreamily toward the horizon, her lips parted slightly.

But again, the cameraman sighed in frustration. "Maybe the 'Amour' line was a bad idea." He looked toward Tulip in defeat. "There's still time to change the theme."

"Absolutely not!" Tulip huffed, a hand on her hip. "'Amour' is a makeup line to resonate with all the young ladies out there experiencing their first date, their first kiss, their first love. My makeup will enhance the beauty of every one of them and allow them to express their feelings. We won't be changing that."

"I'm sorry, it's my fault," Heather interrupted. "I...don't know why I can't get this."

"It's okay, Heather," Tulip reassured, her demeanor changing when addressing the model. "You're doing the best you can. Maybe it would benefit you to try Emotional Spectrum Practice. Although I don't know how helpful it'll be for this particular expression."

Heather gave a defeated nod. "Practice might do me some good, actually."

Tulip went over to her, a gentle smile on her lips. "Take a break, get your thoughts together, practice - do whatever you need to get this right. I know you can do this. Your talents are beyond compare."

Rising to her feet, the model replied, "Okay. I'll try my best to find a solution. I'll be back shortly, and hopefully I'll have this figured out."

"I'm counting on you, darling."

Heather left the set, not bothering to change or remove the makeup. They had the entire garden area cut off to keep people from interrupting their shoot, and most had already left after getting photos of Heather and Tulip, two big icons in the fashion world. The young woman paused at the entrance to the Sunflora Lawn, staring at the house at the far side. She needed help, and he was the only one she thought of going to. Passing numerous cheerful Sunflora, she hesitantly approached the front door and knocked. Several moments of silence passed before she tried opening the door. It was unlocked. When she peeked in, she could already hear the pessimistic grumblings.

"Brassie?" she softly called.

Past the small living area and kitchen was the door that led to his studio. That's where she was certain to find him. She went and, once again, peeked inside to see the artist angrily crumpling up a piece of paper. It quickly joined a bin full of crumpled and torn papers.

"Rubbish! All rubbish!"

"Brassie, you okay? Having a hard time with your work?"

The man jumped, so absorbed in his own world that he hadn't heard or even noticed her. His gaze traveled down her figure before going back up to her lovely face.